The 2026 Toyota Prius is the most fuel-efficient car that runs only on gasoline: EPA rates its best version at 57 MPG combined, on ratings RideTruth loaded as of October 24, 2026. The Hyundai Elantra hybrid is second at 54, and the Toyota Camry and Hyundai Sonata tie at 51. I sorted 88 car models by EPA's 2026 ratings, each at its best gasoline version, and fueleconomy.gov lists every one of the first 12 as a hybrid. The best car without a hybrid system, the Volkswagen Jetta, gets 34.
Which 2026 cars get the best gas mileage?
Each model appears once, at its best-rated version. City and highway are EPA's figures for that same version.
| Rank | Car | Combined MPG | City | Highway | Version EPA rated |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Toyota Prius | 57 | 57 | 56 | 2.0L hybrid, FWD |
| 2 | Hyundai Elantra | 54 | 51 | 58 | 1.6L hybrid, FWD |
| 3 | Toyota Camry | 51 | 52 | 49 | 2.5L hybrid, FWD |
| 3 | Hyundai Sonata | 51 | 47 | 56 | 2.0L hybrid, FWD |
| 5 | Toyota Corolla | 50 | 53 | 46 | 1.8L hybrid, FWD |
| 6 | Honda Civic | 49 | 50 | 47 | 2.0L hybrid, FWD |
| 7 | Honda Accord | 48 | 51 | 44 | 2.0L hybrid, FWD |
| 8 | Lexus ES | 46 | 48 | 44 | 2.5L hybrid (350h), FWD |
| 9 | Honda Prelude | 44 | 46 | 41 | 2.0L hybrid, FWD |
| 10 | Lexus UX | 43 | 45 | 41 | 2.0L hybrid (300h), FWD |
| 11 | Toyota Crown | 41 | 42 | 41 | 2.5L hybrid, AWD |
| 12 | Toyota Crown Signia | 38 | 39 | 37 | 2.5L hybrid, AWD |
| 13 | Volkswagen Jetta | 34 | 29 | 40 | 1.5L 4-cylinder, FWD |
This list groups whole models by EPA's own classes. A model counts as a car only if EPA files every version as a car or station wagon, which is why the Crown Signia, sold as a crossover, is here: EPA classes it as a small station wagon. Right behind the Jetta, the Nissan Sentra and Kia K4 tie at 33, both gas-only.
Why is the gap to the first gas-only car so big?
The Prius gets 57 MPG and the Jetta 34. That's a 23 MPG gap, and no 2026 car sits in it except hybrids. The same thing shows up in SUVs, where the Kia Niro's 53 MPG leads and the first gas-only model, the Nissan Rogue, gets 32. Our best gas mileage SUV ranking has that list.
On the highway the gap shrinks from 23 MPG to 16: the Jetta is rated 40 there and the Prius 56. A hybrid's edge comes mostly from recovering energy in stop-and-go traffic. If nearly all your miles are on the interstate, the difference in your fuel bill will be smaller than the combined numbers suggest.
Does the Prius lose much with all-wheel drive?
About 3 MPG. EPA rates the 2026 Prius from 49 to 57 MPG combined across four versions: 57 and 52 with front drive, 54 and 49 with all-wheel drive. Which version you pick moves the number more, by 5 MPG, than the drive wheels do.
The 2026 Camry's five EPA-rated versions run from 43 to 51 MPG combined, and every one beats the Jetta.
What does 57 MPG save you in a year?
At 12,000 miles a year and $3.50 a gallon, the example inputs in RideTruth's fuel cost calculator, the Prius burns about $737 of fuel. The Elantra hybrid at 54 MPG comes to about $778, the Camry at 51 about $824, and the Jetta at 34 about $1,235. The Prius saves roughly $498 a year over the Jetta at those numbers. Plug in your own miles and local price; the gap scales with both.
Hybrids cost more up front. I don't track prices, so compare that saving with the quotes you get.
Why aren't electric cars and plug-ins here?
Electric cars are rated in MPGe, not MPG. A plug-in hybrid's gas-only MPG leaves out the miles it drives on battery, so it doesn't line up with a regular hybrid's figure. EPA ratings are lab estimates measured the same way for every car; your mileage will move with speed, temperature and tires.
Where do these cars stand on complaints and recalls?
The Camry's page, like every model page on RideTruth, sets EPA figures beside NHTSA complaints and recall campaigns by model year. Whatever you buy, your RideTruth garage keeps an eye on it for new campaigns.